The present invention relates generally to photography and, more particularly, to extensible supports for cameras.
For many years, photographers relied on the conventional tripod to support their cameras, both in the studio and in the field. That was when camera film was too slow to allow the use of fast shutter speeds, and also when the lenses used were not like the fast lenses that are available today. So, a rigid camera support was essential to every photographer's needs and the tripod provided that support.
Today, however, with camera film speeds approaching ASA 1000 and with the very fast lenses available, the cumbersome tripod is no longer necessary for supporting hand-held 35 mm cameras that are fitted with fast lenses. Yet, when a photographer uses a 35 mm camera equipped with a long telephoto or a zoom lens of 35-200 mm, 50-300 mm, and 100-600 mm focal length, it becomes necessary to have some camera support. Using a tripod to support cameras fitted with such lenses is in many instances not convenient and practicable. Where the subject matter moves rapidly and where a macro lens is fitted to the camera, a tripod can be very inconvenient to use.
The prior art is replete with camera supports of various types; one such type having a neck strap and one or more rigid legs that join a camera support. Another type includes a single leg with a camera mount and a connection to a belt worn about the photographer's waist. Another form of camera support is a long telescopic tube with camera mounted on one end. Yet, another type comprises a cart and step ladder.
Clearly, such types of camera support devices have limited adaptability in many instances when a photographer uses a camera fitted with lenses like those mentioned previously. When photographing wild life such as animals or birds, a camera support of the type described in the prior art is not very satisfactory and cannot be adapted to the different conditions experienced when photographing such subject matter.
Some of the camera supports known from the prior art are represented by U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,691 to Minnis which discloses a camera support comprising a frame and a swingable camera post mounted adjacent one end of the frame. A leg member is telescopable and extensible from the other end. An actuating arm is pivotably mounted to the post. Means is provided within the post, actuated by a lever portion to hold the swingable camera post in a selected angular position relative to the frame. Another prior art device is known from United Kingdom Specification No. 687,588 which discloses a supporting device for a camera comprising two parts, one part being formed by a telescoping support or tube provided with a clamping device for securing its elements in a selected relative position, the other being formed by a handle provided with element members cooperating with an element of the support for being secured in a removable manner to the latter in at least two different positions. The handle also includes an element that cooperates with the camera for securing it to the handle. Another prior art patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,563 to Kent, discloses a support for a camera and a flash gun comprising a telescopic tubular support to which is adjustably mounted a bracket. The bracket is adapted to support a camera in an operative position, and the bracket may be moved upwards or downwards on the tubular support or boom. The tubular support or boom also carries a support mount for the conventional flash gun or strobe light.
In contrast to the aforementioned prior art, the camera support of the present invention has many features and advantages thereover that will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description and the drawings.